Non-penetrating roof safety systems and methods of installation and use for sloped rooftops

Abstract

An improved roof safety system allows temporary installation without damaging the roof or building by using non-penetrating C-shaped anchors to hook onto eaves on opposing sides of the roof with the anchors connected by a single, continuous anchor line under tension. Installation of primary components do not require a user to access the roof, as they may be installed from the ground or a ladder position. Slidable anchors connectable to an anchor line and lifeline allow free movement along the line in a first direction and block movement in a second opposite direction, allowing a user to anchor to the line at a selected position and then securely move about the roof's surface in an area generally disposed in the second direction while being protected from a fall. An optional wedge-stopper can aid in single-user installation.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A safety system for a roof comprising at least one sloped surface, the safety system comprising:
 a plurality of roof anchors, each roof anchor configured to hook onto an eave of the roof;   one or more anchor lines;   one or more lifelines;   one or more slidable anchors comprising at least one a line slidable anchor, each line slidable anchor configured to connect one of the lifelines to one of the anchor lines;   wherein one of the anchor lines is a primary anchor line that is connectable under tension to a first of the roof anchors and to a second of the roof anchors disposed in a location across the roof substantially opposite of the first roof anchor, the primary anchor line configured to hold the first and second roof anchors in contact with its respective eave without requiring penetration of the roof; and   wherein each roof anchor comprises an arched body having a front end and a rear end.   
     
     
         2 . The safety system of  claim 1  wherein each line slidable anchor is configured to be fixedly connectable to a first end of one of the lifelines and to be slidably connectable to one of the anchor lines to allow selective anchoring of the lifeline at any position along the anchor line by (1) freely allowing slidable movement of the first end along the anchor line in a first direction and (2) anchoring the first end at any position along the anchor line by not allowing slidable movement of the first end in a second direction substantially reversed from the first direction unless a user actuates the line slidable anchor to allow slidable movement in the second direction. 
     
     
         3 . The safety system of  claim 1  wherein the one or more slidable anchors further comprise at least one user slidable anchor, each user slidable anchor configured to connect a user to one of the lifelines. 
     
     
         4 . The safety system of  claim 3  wherein each user slidable anchor is configured to be fixedly connectable to a user and to be slidably connectable to one of the lifelines to allow selective anchoring of the user at any position along the lifeline by (1) freely allowing slidable movement of the user slidable anchor along the lifeline in a first direction and (2) anchoring the user slidable anchor at any position along the lifeline by not allowing slidable movement of the user slidable anchor in a second direction substantially reversed from the first direction unless the user actuates the line slidable anchor to allow slidable movement in the second direction. 
     
     
         5 . The roof safety system of  claim 1  wherein each slidable anchor comprises a rope grab. 
     
     
         6 . The safety system of  claim 2  wherein the one or more slidable anchors further comprise at least one user slidable anchor, each user slidable anchor configured to connect a user to one of the lifelines; and
 wherein each user slidable anchor is configured to be fixedly connectable to a user and to be slidably connectable to one of the lifelines to allow selective anchoring of the user at any position along the lifeline by (1) freely allowing slidable movement of the user slidable anchor along the lifeline in a third direction and (2) anchoring the user slidable anchor at any position along the lifeline by not allowing slidable movement of the user slidable anchor in a fourth direction substantially reversed from the third direction unless the user actuates the line slidable anchor to allow slidable movement in the third direction. 
 
     
     
         7 . The roof safety system of  claim 1  further comprising a single tensioning device connected to the primary anchor line at or near the first roof anchor or the second roof anchor and configured to put the primary anchor line under tension. 
     
     
         8 . The roof safety system of  claim 7  wherein the single tensioning device comprises a progress capture pulley or a ratchet. 
     
     
         9 . The roof safety system of  claim 1  wherein the user does not need to access the roof to install the system. 
     
     
         10 . The roof safety system of  claim 1  wherein the system does not include any nails or screws to secure the system to the roof. 
     
     
         11 . The roof safety system of  claim 1  wherein the system is configured to be secured to the roof only using the tether line under tension. 
     
     
         12 . A method of installing a roof safety system on a structure comprising a roof having one or more sloped surfaces and a plurality of eaves, the method comprising:
 attaching a first end of an anchor line to a first roof anchor on a first side of the structure;   using a throw line and a line thrower to run the anchor line across the roof to a second side of the structure;   lifting the first roof anchor into a first position to hook the first roof anchor onto one of the eaves at a first location, with a portion of the first roof anchor in contact with a first of the eaves and another portion of the first roof anchor in contact with a sloped roof surface adjacent the first of the eaves;   attaching the anchor line disposed at the second side of the structure to a second roof anchor;   lifting the second roof anchor into a second position to hook the second roof anchor onto one of the eaves at a second location substantially opposite the first location, with a portion of the second roof anchor in contact with a second of the eaves and another portion of the second roof anchor in contact with a sloped roof surface adjacent the second of the eaves;   applying tension on the anchor line from the second side of the structure to hold the first roof anchor in the first position while performing the attaching and lifting the second roof anchor steps; and   wherein each roof anchor comprises an arched body having a front end disposed in contact with one of the sloped roof surfaces and a rear end disposed in contact with one of the eaves when hooked onto on one of the eaves.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the lifting steps are carried out by one or more users while on a ladder supported by the structure. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising securing the second roof anchor by tying a free end of the anchor line to a portion of the anchor line disposed between the first and second roof anchors. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the securing step further comprises applying additional tension to the anchor line from a position near the second eave to place the anchor line under additional tension to hold the first roof anchor more securely in the first position while holding the second roof anchor more securely in the second position. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the lifting and applying tension steps are carried out by one or more users while the one or more users are positioned on a ground surface or on a ladder supported by the structure or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the steps are carried out by one or more users without the one or more users needing to access the roof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 connecting a user to a lifeline; 
 connecting a line slidable anchor to a first end of the lifeline and to the anchor line, wherein the line slidable anchor is configured to be fixedly connectable to the first end of the lifeline and to be slidably connectable to the anchor line to allow selective anchoring of the lifeline at any position along the anchor line by (1) freely allowing slidable movement of the line slidable anchor along the anchor line in a first direction and (2) anchoring the line slidable anchor at any position along the anchor line by not allowing slidable movement of the line slidable anchor in a second direction substantially reversed from the first direction unless a user actuates the line slidable anchor to allow slidable movement in the second direction; and 
 positioning the user in a desired location on the roof to perform a task by moving the lifeline and connected line slidable anchor in the first or second direction to a point on the anchor line wherein the desired location is disposed in a direction in which the line slidable anchor is anchored to the anchor line. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the lifeline comprises a lanyard. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the lifeline is connected to a user's harness during the connecting the line slidable anchor step. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein connecting a user to a lifeline comprises:
 connecting a harness worn by the user to a user slidable anchor and connecting the user slidable anchor to the lifeline, wherein the user slidable anchor is configured to be fixedly connectable to the harness and to be slidably connectable to the lifeline to allow selective anchoring of the user at any position along the lifeline by (1) freely allowing slidable movement of the user slidable anchor along the lifeline in a first direction and (2) anchoring the user slidable anchor at any position along the lifeline by not allowing slidable movement of the user slidable anchor in a second direction substantially reversed from the first direction unless the user actuates the line slidable anchor to allow slidable movement in the second direction. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein a length of the lifeline disposed between the user and the anchor line is adjustable based on a selective position of the user slidable element on the lifeline. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the attaching the anchor line to the second roof anchor step comprises passing the anchor line (1) through an aperture on a connector pivotally connected the second roof anchor or (2) around a forward axle on the second roof anchor or (3) through an aperture disposed through a body of the second roof anchor.